Bellringer
11/18/10
• List three facts about Hinduism
Daily Announcements
Agenda
1. Hinduism Review
2. Indian Empires
3. Buddhism
11/18/10
Objectives
11/18/10
Students will be able to…
30. Summarize the major features of
the Mauryan and Gupta Empires.
31. Describe the major beliefs and
traditions of Buddhism.
Aryan Kingdoms
• Aryan kingdoms dominated India
beginning around 1000 BCE
• No single, unified leader
• Run over by Alexander the Great
(we’ll talk about him later)
Objective #30
Split GRAPES
• Draw a line down the center of the
GRAPES chart to divide it in two
–On the left side, write Mauryan
Empire
–On the right side, write Gupta Empire
• At the bottom
–Left: write “321 BCE to 232 BCE”
–Right: write “320 CE to 500’s CE”
Mauryan Empire
Geography
What ocean surrounds India?
Geography
What mountain range is shown?
Geography
What river valley was to the east?
Geography
What empire was to the west?
Geography
Geography
• Mauryan Empire united Indian
subcontinent
–Ganges and Indus Rivers
–Up to the Himalaya and HinduKush Mountains
Religion
• Mainly Hinduism
• Ashoka (a king) spread Buddhism
through missionaries
Achievements
• Under Chandragupta
–United India for the first time
–Strong bureaucracy
• Under Ashoka
–Religious tolerance
–Built roads, free hospitals, hotels
Political
• Chandragupta conquered the empire
and established a dynasty
–Bureaucracy helped run the
government
• Ashoka
–Became a non-violent Buddhist, used
the government to care for his people
rather than gain wealth or power
Ashoka says:
• All men are my children. What I desire
for my own children, and I desire their
welfare and happiness both in this
world and the next, that I desire for all
men. You do not understand to what
extent I desire this, and if some of you
do understand, you do not understand
the full extent of my desire.
More Political
• People liked Ashoka
–Good ruler, but weakened the
government
–No strong ruler followed him
–Empire fell apart
Economic
• Very heavy taxes to pay for the army
and public works
• Political centralization opens India to
trade with China and Persia
Social
• See Hinduism
A Period of Turmoil
• 500 years without a strong leader
• Turmoil, noun
–A state or condition of extreme
confusion or commotion
• Without any damage or injury, for
30 seconds, demonstrate turmoil
Gupta Empire
Geography
Religion
• Hinduism
Achievements
• The Golden Age of India
Gupta = Golden!
• Trade by land and sea, east and west
• Develop astronomy, advanced math
(the numbers you use), calendar
• Develop banking, incredible amounts of
wealth
• Helps spread culture, art, literature
Political
• Gupta kings used marriage (and an
army) to create an empire
• Last strong king declines in 415 CE,
empire starts to collapse
• In the 500s CE, invaders “without
settled homes” attack India
Economic
• Very rich empire (but only the kings
got rich)
• Invented banking
• LOTS of trade
Social
• See Hinduism
Objective #31
Buddhism
Hinduism’s Problems
• Some people did not like
–Inequality
–Inaccessibility (need priests to
interact with gods for you)
The Solution
• A new faith, started by a Hindu prince
who meditated on the world’s problems
• Siddhartha Gautama grew up sheltered
from the world. When he left his palace,
he was shocked by what he saw
–Became the founder of Buddhism
Buddha
• Siddhartha left his life in a palace to
seek wisdom
• No one he met had any
• So he meditated under a tree until he
finally discovered the truth about the
world
–He became known as the Buddha:
awakened or enlightened one
Four Noble Truths
1. To live is to suffer
2. Suffering is caused by desire
3. To end suffering, you must get rid
of all desires
4. To do so, follow the Eightfold Path
to enlightenment
Get on the path!
• Tear a sheet of paper into 8 squares
• On four of the squares, write down
things that cause you to suffer
• On four of the squares, write down
things that you desire
• Crumble each square into a ball
Get on the path!
•Rid yourself of your
suffering and desires!
•Throw them at the
recycling bin!
Nirvana
• Buddha and his followers believed he
had achieved enlightenment, what they
called nirvana
• Enlightenment can be achieved by
acting, thinking, and believing in the
proper way
• Nirvana ends your soul’s reincarnation
Karma
• Buddhists believe in karma, much like
Hindus
• Instead of determining caste, karma
provides your reincarnated self with
desirable qualities (wealth, beauty,
influence, etc.)
• Karma is based on your intentions, not
just your actions
Solving Problems
• Hinduism has inequality
– Buddhism rejects the caste system. All
Buddhists belong to the religious
community (sangha)
• Hinduism is inaccessible, requires priests
– Buddhism is very personal, individual
meditation and self-improvement
– Can reach nirvana in a single lifetime
About Buddha
• Buddha is not a god! “Buddha” is a
title granted to Siddhartha Gautama
• Fat Buddha, and Buddha worship, is
a later Chinese development
Religious Spread